Donald Roller Wilson

Biography

Donald Roller Wilson is an offbeat storyteller who self-reports that he spends his “days and nights pondering the meaning of life, the state of the universe, and the Home Shopping Network,” adding that his works are a byproduct of his thoughts. Wilson is best known for his vivid portraits of an odd cast of anthropomorphized animals and objects. His characters include Cookie the Baby Orangutan, Jane the Pug Girl, Jack the Jack Russell Terror, Loretta the Actress Cat, and Miss Dog America; supporting roles have gone to dill pickles, asparagus stalks, olives, cigarette butts, and matches. His hyper-vivid detail, portrait style, and a dark-hued palette refer to paintings by 16th-century Dutch painters.